Yes, there are two types of posts that are not allowed at PokerTips.org:

1. Advertising/Soliciting: This includes both poker and non-poker related websites.

2. Flaming/Inflammatory Posts: This forum is meant to promote an educational and fun discussion of poker and poker-related topics. Posts meant to berate other users detract from this goal.

2. Can I advertise my website on the Pokertips.org Forums?

No.
3. This guy at one of my tables sucked out on me and gave me a bad beat, where can I tell everyone about it?

The Poker Stories Forum is the place you can rant about bad beats. Please try to keep all bad beat stories in the Poker Stories Forum, so the other forums can serve their purpose without being clustered full of bad beat threads. Also, keep cognizant of the fact that everyone experiences bad beats.

4. How do I send private messages to other users?

There are two ways to do this. First, you may click on the You have [x-number] of new messages link which is found above the listing of the forums. After you select this, click on the "New Post" button. From there, enter in the name of the Forum member you wish to private message, type out the message, and click "Send". The second way to send someone a private message is to click on the "PM" link at the bottom of any post on the Forums.

5. How do I add an icon or avatar to my posts?

To add an avatar, you must click on the Profile link found near the top of the Main Forum Page. After you do this, scroll down to the bottom of the next page, where you will find a place to enter a URL to an off-site image. Please be sure your avatar does not exceed 80 by 80 pixels, and is not larger than 6 kilobytes.

6. The info on Pokertips.org has helped me improve my game. Is there anything I can do to give back a little?

The best thing you can do is help other people who were in your position by contributing to our Forums.

7. Why isn't anyone replying to my new thread?

The answer to this question is probably found in one or both of the following problems: The topic name you created for your thread may simply not be appealing to other members. Make sure you are as logical and understandable as possible when creating a thread title. Many members will not take the time to deal with an improperly titled thread. Capital Letters On The First Letter Of Every Word Can Help.

The second problem may be the fact that your topic has been discussed far too many times already. Towards the top of the Main Forum Page is a "Search" link. It is advisable to use this search feature to attempt to find an answer to your question before starting a new thread on the Pokertips.org Forums.

8. How do I use the search feature?

The link to the Search feature is found near the top of the Main Forum Page. Click on this link, and you will see detailed instructions on how to use the Search Feature. There are some good tips in this section that can help you improve the chances of finding what you are looking for, so be sure to read carefully.
9. What can I learn from the search feature?

The Search feature can be very helpful in making sure that the same handful of topics aren't discussed over and over again, thus creating a "cleaner" message board. With the Search Feature, you should be able to find a thread that answers any question on poker that you have. If you are unable to find an answer to your question, then, by all means, feel free to start a new thread!

Questions about Poker

10. What does BB (or UTG or EP or LP or EV.... etc) stand for?

Search our Glossary for a definition on nearly every poker word out there.

12. Can you give me advice on how to play No-Limit? I've never played it before.

Browse around our Poker Strategy section. Here you can find all of the top-notch articles we have on how to improve your poker game. There are articles for beginners, intermediate players, and advanced players; on nearly every type of Hold'em game.

13. Are all poker games the same?

No. Poker is a reference to a five-card hand, consisting of ranks from high card to straight flush (some games allow for a five-of-a-kind). In reality, there are many different types of poker. Some games involve more skill than others. For example, the most popular poker game is currently Texas Hold'em, which requires a lot of skill but still has a decent amount of luck (at least in the short run). Games that involve a lot of wild cards, such as Baseball, tend to have a much stronger luck element. More information can be found in our Poker Variants section.

14. What is the difference between casino poker and multi-player poker?

Casino poker includes video poker machines, let it ride, and caribbean stud. These games have set house advantages, and it is impossible for the player to win in the long run. These games are much more similar to other casino games like craps and slot machines than they are to multi-player poker. The type of poker strategy covered on this site is about multi-player poker, where people play against each other and not the house. Multi-player poker has much more skill, and it is possible to win at this type of poker in the long run.

Questions about Online Poker

15. Where should I play?

This decision is up to you. We give a lot of information about the various online card rooms on our Site Reviews page.

16. Which poker rooms have the best bonuses?

Information about poker bonuses can be found on our Bonus Codes page. A "good" bonus can mean different things to different people. Some people only care about the maximum they can earn from a bonus, so a bonus like Noble Poker's 100% up to $500 is ideal. Others care more about how quickly they can earn the bonus. For these types of players, the bonuses at Empire Poker or Party Poker are the best.
17. What is the difference between play-money and real-money games?

A play money game does not require a deposit on the part of the player. These games are played with "fake money," which do not represent anything of value.

Since players have nothing to lose by recklessly wagering, a play-money game is much different than a real-money game. Real-money games involve much tougher competition because people can actually lose something of value, whereas they cannot lose any actual money in a fake-money game.

If you are winning at the fake-money games, do not think this will mean you will probably win at the real-money games because the real-money games are much more difficult and require a higher level of strategic thinking than the play-money games.

18. Do people cheat at online poker?

There is something known as collusion, where people gang up on their opposition by telling their friends at the table what cards they have. They do this on the phone or through an instant messaging program. This is cheating. Poker rooms do their best to find and ban colluders, and many have been banned from poker rooms.

It is not too difficult for a poker room to detect collusion because they have the ability to review every hand for suspicious play.

19. Are my winnings taxed?

Not by the poker rooms, but you generally need to report your winnings to your government on your income tax return (assuming you live in a country with income tax). This is the type of question whose answer really depends on where you live.

20. How long will it take a typical poker room to process my cashout?

Each place is different; the average is about two business days. Some places, like Pacific Poker, take longer.